Portable-machine frame



Nov. 13, 1928;

J. NICKELS PORTABLE MACHINE FRAME 5 Sheets-Sheet 2' Filed Feb. 5, 1927 9M NTOR' BY 94% 74W A M ATTORNEY.

Nov. 13, 1928. 1,691,732

J. NICKELS PORTABLE MA OH I NE FRAME Filed Feb. 5, 192

1 5 SheetS-Shet 3 9 Saw hn w Ezvrofz. BY m. 27 M,

M ATTORNEY.

J. NICKELS PORTABLE MACHINE FRAME Nov. 13, 1928.

Filed Feb. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 m n 93 V T. m u M \n m M n m ww x 3..

Nov. 13, 1928.

J. NICKELS PORTABLE MACHINE FRAME Filsd Feb. 1927 M ATTORNEY.

which a smooth rim is disclosed for use on the Patented Nov. 13, 1928.

met-732;

UNITED sr-Arss ersurorrlcs.

JAIVIES IJE CKELS, 0F SILVIS, ILLINOIS ron'rannn-reacnrnn FRAME.

Application filed February a, 1927. Serial No. 165,517.

My invention has reference to a universal wood-work machine of a portable type, and has for its chief purpose to make it posa e to form allofthe framing lumber for a building, do all the mill-work,.and provide all of the finish material in or near the struc- It is provided rious devices shown and clesc 'ibed herein arefor the purpose of illustration largely, it being possible to add other mechanisms thereto, or substitute others therefor.

One feature of the-machine consists in having it supported on a. set'of carrying'wlieels in s ch a manner that upon arriving at its dost ration it can be lowered and set firmly on the ground or floor of a building, so that the mechanisms thereof can be successfully operated. The machine is of such a charachat it can be run in on the ground floor of a building under construction, or hoistedto the higher floors of a large structure, and used in the preparation of all of the woodwork used in the construction of such building, doing away with the necessity of having such work prepared at points'remote from the building, and transported thereto.

Intransporting the'machine from one point to another it is found to be advisable to have the wheels equipped with tractor treads, but

as such wheels would be injurious to the floor of a building, an outer removable rim is provided for such treads, upon the'removal of floors. i r i The machine is also self-propelled, by means of a motor carried thereon which motor is also employed for raising and lowering the machine. The particular construction, arrangement, and operationof the various parts of the machine will more fully appear from the following specification, reference being had to th accompanying drawings, in which;

Fig. 1 shows the rear fragmentary portion of the machine, in side elevation, with oneof other woodworking mechanisms, such as .a,

the carryin in raised position.

Fig. 2 anenlarged detail of one-of the racks 10 and appurtenant parts. Fig. 3 is a detail of the seat supporting devices, partly broken away. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the steering device transmission.

Fig. 5 shows the forward fragmentary portion of the machine, in side elevation, with one ofthe carying wheels removed.

Fig. '6 is a plan view of the rear fragmene tary part of the machine.

Fig. 7 is'a similar View of the front fragmentary portion thereof. f 7

Fig. 8 is a detail of the cross-pieces 49' and 50. l

Fig. 9 is a front view of the machine. Fig. 10 is a cross-section on the broken line 10-10 of Fig. 6. c

The frame of the machine is formed of a pair of longitudinal channel plates 1 and 2, to the lower flanges of which is attached a flanges of said channel plates is a frame formed of pairs of posts 4, supporting atable 5, which is the; main work table of the machine. The most forward pair of posts 4, has connected therewith a pair of standards 6," spaced aparttherefrom, and passing thru the lower end of such space is an axle 7 pivoted to the encls'of which are the spindlesof the forward carrying wheels 8. 7

At the rear endof the machine is supported a pair of racks 10, passing thruthe lower ends of which'is an axle 11, on the ends of'which sheet steel floor 3. Supported on the upper is mounted a pair ofcarrying wheels-12, so

integral therewith, and securedto'the' plates 1 and 2 by bolts 15, passing thru openings in the channel-plates'and slots 16 in the plates 14. By loosening the nuts on said bolts thev positions of the plates 14 can be'adjusted longitudinally of the plates 1 and 2, for the purpose hereinafter specified.

The axle 11 is supported in the rear ends of a pair of arms 17, the forward ends of which have a pivotal bearing'on the outer ends of a pairof shafts 19 and 20, the inner ends of which are connected; with a difi'erena tial ear mechanism in a casing 21, supported Ill" telescoping sections 22, which can be held in adjustable positions with the other sections of saidarms by bolts 23, held in said lastnamed sections and passing thru slots in the parts 22. The ad ustmentcan be made by means of a turnbuckle device 25 connect- 111;: one of the arm sections with the other.

Fixed to the axle his a pair of flanged guides 27, movable vertically in the lower ends of the racks 10. Pivoted to the upper faces of said guides is a pair of threaded shafts 28, the upper ends of which move freelyin openings in a pair of blocks 29, .nred in the racks midway their ends each of said blocks is-.a miter gear wheel 30, having a-threaded engagement with theshaft 28, said miter gears bei in mesh with simi-.

lar gear wheels 31 on the ends of a shaft 32,

. journalled in bearings on the ends of a frame 33, uniting the racks 10. s The lower ends of sald racks are of arcuate' i, and as the 1 guides 27 travel along said lower portions the shafts 32 are given a slight rocking move ment which would tend to cause them to bind in the wheels 30, but which tendency is overcome by permitting a rocking action to said wheels This is done by means of hemispherical bearings 3% on the upper faces of said wheels bearing in similarly shaped sockets in the blocks 29. Rotation is imparted to the shaft 27 in a manner hereinafter set forth, such rotation being connnunicated to f the wheels 30,c'ausing an upward or downward movement of the racks 10, and conse quent lowering or elevating of the rear part of the frame.

' Supported in the machine near the rear end thereof is a motor 35, from which'a rick-shaft 36 projects rearwardly, said shaft being connected with the differential gearing in the casing'2l, and capable of imparting rotation to theshafts 19 and20, in a forward direction or the reverse; Fixed on said shafts are sprocket-gearwh'eels 37, connected by chains 38 with relatively large sprocket-wheels 39,

rotatably mounted on the ends of the axle 11,

and connected withthe hubs'of the w eels 12, so as to cause the rotation thereof. Power is thus applied to said wheels to move the machine forwardly or rearwardly, desired. Said wheels are also provided with an emer gency brake mechanism, as followsg ltockingly mounted on the rear end ofthe plates.

just described is of a well-known construction.

(lust below it rny slack in the drive chains 38 can be removed, by loosening the bolts in the arms 17 and in they plat inents observed also that the movement of the axle controlled by the arms 17, which estab the radius of movement of said axle with ower parts of the racks 10 must conform to such radius. a i

at th forward end of the machine is a of spaced cross-pieces 4.9 and 50, the posts 4; and standards '6, re:

L ively. crosapieces are provided with a rectangular openiz'ig to accommodate a forked bearsnect .ing in the lower part of which is pivoted the alie 7, by means of a kingbolt 53 passing thru theforks of said bearing ands-aid axle. The standards (3 and posts a are further united by a cross-head 54c and cross-plate 55 just below the same, and spaced apart from said cross-head The cross-head and crossplate are provided with openingspermitting the free vertical -mcVement therein of a threaded shaft 56, which is rigidly connected with the upper part of the fork .52. 'Be tween the cross-head and cross-plate is held a bevel-gear wheel. 57, having a threaded connection with the shaft 56, and engaged by a bevel-gear pinion 58 on a shaft'59 jonrnalied in one side of said shaft the wheel 57 is turned to cause an upward or downward movement of said wheel on theshaft 56, and consequent raising it and making such adjust I thereof as may be necessary; It will be ionto the frame, and that the are of the the frame. By the rotation of At a central point therein said or lowering of the front end of the frame. On account of the limited space between the parts 54 and 55 the pinion 58 is made relatively smaller than the wheel 57,-the ratio of diameters thereof being as two of the wheel to one of the pinion, but this is compensatedfor by doubling the-pitch of the'thread on the shaft 56, causing the movement of the wheel 57 to be proportionately increased, and be the same as that of shafts 28. V r

To the outer end of the shaft 59 is fined a the gear-wheels 30 on the sprocket-wheel 61, connected by "a chain-62 with a sprocketnvheel 63 on a shaft (ti i, yournalled inbearings 6% supported from one of the pairs of posts at. Fined on oneend.

of the shaft 6e; a relatively large sprocket wheel 65, (dotted lines), connected by a] sprocket-chain 66 with a sprocket-wheel (37 on a cross-shaft 6S journalled 1n the'tram'e at point below the shaft :bit Movement is imparted to the last-named shaft to rotateit in. one direction or the other bvthefollowing nirans, iogecter .toiwznd y ion 1L niotor is a main engine shaft 7 0, vhich is i forv-rard end bevel-gear wheel 7 in i "l .vith pair of n'ular wheels 73 and7 l, t which JS fixed to the transverse shaft 75, and the other to a sleeve 7 6 rotating loosely on said shaft. The sleeve 71 is nor nally out of movement, but may be caused to rotate by means of ac'lutch-disk 77 connected therewith, and engageable by a clutch member 78 on the shaft 70, and operable by a lever 79 fulcrumed above the same. The movement of the sleeve 71 is impartedIto the shaft to cause a constant rotation thereof, and the power of said shaft is employed at such times ag'the machine is stationary for v the purpose of operating the various woocworking'devices thereof. At such times as the frame is beingraised or lowered these,

devices are disconnected from said shaft.

Rotating freely on the shaft 75 is a sproclretqvheel 81, connected by a sprocketchain 82 with a relatively large sprocketwheel 83 on the shaft 68. A sprocket-wheel 8% is attached to the sleeve 76, and is connected by a sprocket-chain 85 with a rela tively large sprocket-wheel 86 fixed on the shaft 68. Both of said sprocket devices are normally idle, both when the machine is in transportation and when any of the woodworking mechanisms are being used, but either of said devices is capable of being set in operation independently of the other follows ;Conneeted with the sprocket-wheel 81 is a clutch-disk 87, (Fig. 10) engageable by a clutch member 88 sli'dable on the shaft 7 and rotatable therewith. Said member is provided wita a collar 89, engaged by a lever 90 fulcrumed on the floor 8. V The sprocketwheel 84 is similarly connected with a clutch.- disk 91, engageable by a clutch member 92 on the shaft- 7 5, provided with a collar 98,-actu ated by a lever 9%, also fulerun'ied on thetloor 3. The levers 90 and 9d are united at their upper ends by an opcratorsrod 95, provided 'ith a handle 96 under one edge of the table By movingsaid rod in one direction the wheel 81 is set in motion, and by moving it in the opposite direction the-wheel 8 1 is rotated. Movement is thus impartedto the shaft 68 and from it to the shaft-6 1, to move the chain 62 in one direction or the other, as

desired. Said cbain is further supported'by idler sprocket-wheels"supported on the frame. The rod is also provided with a notch 95 for engagement with a pin in a support 1 fixed to the plate 1. Said-rod may thereby be held with the levers 90 and 91 both in a neutral position, with neither of the wheels 81 and 841 in motion' The shaft 6% is also provided with a ..:ocket-wheel 99. connected by a sproc retchiin 100 with a sprocket-wheel 101 on one end of the shaft at the rear endof the ma chine. The shafts-'28 are thereby rotated simultaneously with the shaft 56. so that the front and rear ends of the machine can be lowered or raised at the same time. and maintain the level position of the table 5. The

shafts 28 are rotated in opposite directions.

on. A portion ofthe weight of the front part in their supports in order to take out any slack in the chain.

, Whenthe machine is supported in elevated position fortransportation the weight'oit the frame comes chle-fly upon pair of bars 10% at the rear end of the machine, and a pin 105 at the front; end thereof. Said pin passes thrul openings in. the cross-pieces i and 50;"

and thru an opening in the fork 52 at a point above theaizle 7 whichis carried downwardly in its central part. Connected with the inner end of the pin 105 is a lever 106. fulcrunied on a support 107, the outer endor said lever being connected by a rod 108 witht-he'short end of a hand-lever 109 fixed on a shaft 109 rockingly mounted in the plates 1 and'2. Said hand-lever is provided with a latch 110 'en gageable with the notches of a quadrant 1113 and operable by arod 112 on saidlever, and provided with a handle 113. The short endof the hand-lever 109 is also connected by a rod 114 with one of the bars 10%, and a si'milar rod 111- connects the'other bar 104 with an arm 109 on the opposite'end of the shaft 109 from the hand-lever. The bars 104 are slidable in guides 115 on the racks 10 and similar guides 116' on the plates 14." Said bars project just above the guides 27, and sustain the weight of the rear end of themachine. Whe'n it is desired to lower the-frame to the ground, it is first raised a little, by operation of the chains 62 and 100 and parts driven thereby to relieve the bars lO-iand pin 105 from the weight of theframc. whereupon the inc lever 109 is actuated to withdraw eaid bars ments, and the frame again supported there'- of the machine also comes on the king-bolt SB.

Mounted on the rear part of the machine is seat 118 mounted on a'spring support 119. the lower end of which is provided with a frame 120, 'slidable ona pin 121 supported 7 in bearing 122 fixed on the extension of. the

differential casing. The frame beats against'said bearing andholds the seat in its proper position for use, butby pulling the seat and its support upwardly. the frame 120 is permitted to tip rearwardly; so that the seat anc support can be lowered to a point where they wlll not. interfere with operations being carriedon onthe table of the machine.

provided with a wheel 125 at its upper end j I In front of said seat is a steering-post 124:, v

and at its lower end with a worm 126; rotatable in a housing 127, having a pivotal con I nect-ion 'with a plate 128, fixed to the inner face of the channel-plate 2. The worm is in mesh with a worm-gear segment 129, fixed on a shaft 130, rockingly supported in,the plates .1 and 2. Upon' the upper end of the steerfing post being lowered the worm 126 is di engaged from the segment 129. This is prevented under operative conditions by means of a clamp 131, on a pivot on the part 128,

and embracing the housing. vThe clamp is held in place by a thumb-screw 132, operating 1n the clamp and bearing against the housing. By releasing the thumb-screw and turn- T ing thev clamp downwardly the housing is freed, permitting the lowering of the steer ing post and wheelp This is also done when upon each revolution.

the work-table is in use, so that there will be no interferenceby said post with material that is being used on the tables The housing 127 is constructed so as to protect the worm 126 and segment 129 from the elements when the machine is in an exposed place.

Fixed to the end of the shaft 130 is an arm 133, which is connected by. a rod 134 with the steering frame 135 at the front end of the machine. At a point midway its ends the rod 134 has a squared section 136, passing thru a similarly shaped bearing, to hold said shaft from rotating or getting out of place. By the movement of said red the wheels 8 are turnedto one side or the other in the usual manner of automobile wheels.

Supported beneath. the edge of the table 5 is a short shaft 138, in line with the shaft 75. On the shaft 138 is'a sprocket-wheel 140, connected by a chain 141 with a similar wheel I 142 on the shaft 75. The hub of the wheel 142 has a notch 143 for engagement with a pin 144 in said shaft. On the end of the shaft 138 is a crank 139, by the operation of which the shaft is rotated, such movement being imparted to the shaft 75 and back to the engine shaft to start the motor. The crank 139 has a clutch connection'withthe hub of the wheel 140, and is held normally out of en gagement therewith by a coiled spring 145 on said shaft. The action is similar to the usualcrank action of an automobile, except that the crank .18 supported at aconvenient height above the transverselengine shaft, in-

steadof directly on? said shaft. WVhen the crank is'turned in a clock-wise direction the wheel 142 engages with the pin in the shaft 75, and at other times the pin disconnects and passes the notch in the hub of such wheel At 146 is shown a special work-table or dial,

similar to that set forth in said former appli cation, said dial being provided with a sawslot. 148, just beneath which is a circular saw 149, on a shaft 150, to which movement is imparted from a shaft 151', which is rotated from'a counter-shaft 152 by means of gearing 153154. The shaft 151 is mounted so as to be capable of a limited amount of 1ongi-' tudinal movement, so as to'permit the wheel 153 to be disengagedfrom the wheel 154. This may be effected by means of a handlever 156 pivoted on'the saw frame,-and connected by a rod 157 with'a collar on that end of the shaft 151 opposite to the wheel 153.

By turning the lever 156 upwardly the wheel is moved away from the wheel 154, and by turning the lever downwardly again the wheels are re-engaged. By this means the saw mechanism may be placed out of operation when it is not desired to use the same, as

Gages designed for use onthe dial 146 have not been shown in the drawings l'lClGHL Beneath the forward end of the table 5 1s ournalled a shaft 160, on which a rip-saw 161 projecting thru a slot in the table 5. LSai-d shaft/derives its movement from thecountershaft 152 by means of a wheel 161 on said latter shaft, connected bya belt 161 with a aul-ley (not shown) on the shaft 160. At the opposite side of the table is a band-saw 164,

as at It, so that it can be folded downwardly upon the table 5 when the machine is being transported from one .point to another. The

when theframe is being raised or lowered.

i the frame 165 of which is hinged to the table saw runs round wheels 166 and 167 the latter of which is fixed on a shaft 168. Said shaft is fitted with a pair of pulleys 169 and 170, one of which is tight on the shaft and the other loose, said pulleys being adapted for alternative connection with a pulley 171 on the shaft 152, by means of a belt 172, shown in broken lines.

On the same side of the machine as the band-saw is also shown a mortising appara tus 173, also hinged to the table 5, so that it can be folded outwardly and downwardly, for the purpose of transportation, orto clear the table for other wor r. e

At 175 is shown a generator on a shaft 176, on whichis a pulley 177 connected by a belt 17 8 with a pulley 179 on the shaft 152. This may beused for providing lights for lighting the machine under conditions of darkness, or for operating an electric motor in the same locality. An emery wheel 180' is also provided, fiXedona shaft 181 to which move- 1 means for receiving bolts 187, by means of which the band can be clamped tightly in place on the run 184, such means shown consisting of'outwardly turned flanges 186;

Other bolts 188 secure the outer band to the rim. The front wheels have a removable rib 189, also formed so as to be clamped on the wheel, and removed when desired.

' sible, a complete eenffraz The lowering of the front end of the frame changes the position of the steering rod 134 from a horizontal to an inclined one, tending to move the rear end of said rod forwardly a little, but this is allowed for by disengaging the gears in the housing 127, in the manner 'hereinbefore described, the steering apparatus not being in use at this time. Upon the frame being elevated againthe rod and parts connected therewith resume their former position, suitable for reengaging the gearing. v

As before mentioned, the showing of various mechanisms on the forward part of the machine is in order to show some of the work that can he done on the machine, in connection with the dial 1&6 near the rear end of the table, which dial and appurtenant parts are designed to be used in connection with any and all other tools with which the machine may beprovided. For the'first named mechanisms others may be substituted, or others added thereto, the purpose being to have the machine comprise, as posportable work-shop for the builders art. The dial referred to, when properly equipped with gages, does away with the need for use of miter-boxes or similar mechanisms for making angular cuts on a piece of timber. I

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a

frame and superstructure mounted thereon,.

running gear at the ends thereof, connections between said frame and running gear permitting a vertical movement of the frame, gearing for raising or lowering the forward end of said frame, gearing for raising or lowering the rear end of said frame, motorsupported in said frame and transverse engine shaft driven thereby, a secondary shaft rotatably mounted in said frame, means'conconnecting the same, with said secondary shaft to impart the movement thereof to said third shaft at a reduced rate of. speed,.and

mechanism connecting said thirdv shaft, with the raising and lowering gearing at both ends 50 third shaft rotatably supported, and means of the machine, to simultaneously operate the same.

.2. l n a machine ofthe class described, a

frame and superstructure supported thereon,

a cross-frame at the forward end ofthenia-- chine andaxle rockingly mounted therein, carrying-wheels on the ends of said axle, ,gearingmounted in said cross-frame and central screw-threaded shaft supported by said.

axle and operatively connected with. said gearing to raise or lower said frame, a pair of racks connected with the rear end of said frame, an axle movable vertically thereof, carrying wheels on the ends of said axle, and

means for driving the same, gearing and crew mechanism in each of said racks, operatively connected, for the raising and lowering of the rear end of said frame, a motor supported in said frame, and transverse engine shaft driven thereby, gearing connecting said engine shaft with said gearing atthe front end of the frame, and gearing connecting said engine shaft with the gearing-at the rear end of theframe, for operating the same simultaneously.

' In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JAMES NIOKELS. 

